 He served first on , a 38-gun fifth rate ship in the Channel fleet that took several French ships as prizes during the years Morrell served on her.He then moved to the Caribbean on board , and was by now a master's mate.It was aboard "Pique", a captured French ship formerly named "Pallas", that he would take part in the blockade of Saint-Domingue in 1803, serving off Cape Francois.